JAC T9 EV 4×4 is first electric pick-up truck in Malaysia

Although most people know that there are many different passenger vehicles now powered by electricity, not all are aware that in the commercial vehicle sector, there has also been a steadily increasing number of electric trucks.

Manufacturers like Volvo Truck. MAN and Scania have had fully electric trucks in their range for some years now. There are also light commercial vehicles and pick-up trucks with battery electric powertrains, some already on sale while there are prototypes like the Toyota Hilux Electric in final stages of development.

Not surprisingly, there are a number of electric pick-up trucks from Chinese manufacturers since the government had, over a decade ago, directed its auto industry to focus on electrification. As the Chinese automakers are now stepping up exports, electric pick-up trucks are also coming out of China besides the thousands of passenger vehicles.

JAC Motors (the Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group, not to be mistaken for GAC which is a different company), one of the older Chinese automakers, is among those exporting electric trucks. While there are already other light commercial EVs already in the Malaysian market, JAC’s T9 launched today is the first fully electric pick-up truck in Malaysia. Bookings were actually accepted since December 2024 when customers were told the duty-free price would be under RM200,000 – it is actually RM199,888 (excluding insurance).

Distributed by EvolvElectric Motors, the T9 is the third generation of the model line and the EV variant was launched in China in May 2024. It sits on JAC’s latest pick-up platform which has a variable cross-section trapezoidal reinforced frame for greater  rigidity and torsional strength. This has contributed to the T9 getting maximum 5-star ratings from ANCAP (Australia/New Zealand), EuroNCAP, ASEAN NCAP and C-NCAP (China).

The T9 has front and rear motors to provide 4×4 drive, with 70 kW at the front and 160 kW at the rear. The power output, along with 516 Nm of torque, gives a claimed 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 140 km/h. The truck is rated with a towing capacity of 3,500 kgs and can carry a payload of 1,000 kgs. Compared to a Toyota Hilux which weighs around 2,120 kgs, the T9 weighs 2,360 kgs with the added weight of the battery pack.

The LFP (lithium-iron phosphate) battery pack from CATL – the world’s largest manufacturer of EV batteries – has a capacity of 88.02 kWh and is said to provide a range of up to 340 kms. With DC fast-charging, the time to recharge from 15% – 80% is within 45 minutes with an 88 kW supply, while AC charging (up to 11 kW) will take up to 8.5 hours.

To support customers who go electric, Evolvoelectric Motors is working with KINETA, a Sime Motors subsidiary, to provide charging solutions.

Pick-up trucks generally have the same form which has evolved from just a basic cab with a rear deck attached to more aesthetically appealing designs. Since the 1990s when trucks were acceptable as alternatives to cars, the manufacturers have put in more effort in design and also making them more comfortable with all the convenience features that passenger car motorists expect.

The T9 is no exception though it has some little design details like the sports bar which show a bit of creative thought. Differentiating the EV variant from the regular variant with a combustion engine is the blue-coloured JAC badge on the grille. Size-wise too, the T9 is pretty much the same as the other popular trucks in the market with a 210 mm ground clearance to allow it to cross 800 mm deep water.

As mentioned earlier, today’s pick-up trucks have cabins which are like those in a passenger car or SUV. The dashboard has a ‘T theme’ and unlike the old trucks, it has a lot of soft materials. The infotainment screen in the middle is 10.4 inches with a portrait format. The must-have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are, of course, standard. Over on the driver’s side is a 7-inch full colour display in a recess which serves as the instrument panel.

There’s no traditional gear lever and selection of drive modes a rotary dial while another switch is used for customised characteristics. Besides the usual convenience features, there’s also a 50W wireless charging pad for compatible smartphones and USB-C ports as well as a cooled storage compartment between the seats.

In order to get the 5-star safety rating today, it’s not only the performance in crash-testing but assessments also take in the active and passive safety systems in a vehicle. Besides 7 airbags at the front and sides of the double cab, there are also advanced driver assistance systems such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, blind spot monitoring, automatic high/low beam and even a driver monitoring system.

The Chinese automakers understand that their products have no past record of reliability or durability for consumers to refer to since they have not been in the world market for as long as the Japanese or Korean vehicles. While the Chinese vehicles of 20 years ago did not give a good impression, it is different today but time is still needed to prove that they are on par with the more established makes.

So for now, the Chinese brands typically give long warranties and the T9 comes with a vehicle warranty of 6 years or maximum of 200,000 kms and this also covers the battery pack. The retail network will have at least 12 outlets by the end of 2025 and 6 more in 2026.

For those who are not ready or unsure of going electric for a pick-up, Evolvelectric Motors is also importing the T9 with a turbodiesel engine and it is priced at RM119,888 (excluding insurance). It comes with a 5-year/unlimited mileage vehicle warranty and another 3 years for the engine alone (non-transferable after original owner).